“I was born the day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. For many years, I was too young to completely understand the severity of the attacks and the vast emotions around them. It was simply something that was briefly mentioned in school every year around my birthday. Being able to research and learn about the victims, the first responders, the reporters, and how the country (including children) reacted to this life-altering catastrophe has been very interesting.”
− Student Curator Monica Gomez ’24 (BA in Literary Journalism and Film and Media Studies)
“September 11, 2001: 20 Years Later: A Remembrance in Newspapers.”
From the Washington Post to the Honolulu Advertiser, this collection of newspaper front-page headlines preserved by the Library of Congress (the home of the US Copyright Office and main research arm of the US Congress) shows national coverage of the 9/11 attacks, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.
Monica’s Take: “As a journalism major, I can't imagine being a reporter covering 9/11 – the trauma that came with having to witness this and having to process everything, while focusing on objective and accurate reporting.”
“Featured Document Exhibit: Remembering 9/11.”
A gallery collection of letters and drawings by children in the weeks after 9/11, preserved by NARA, the “nation’s record keeper,” shows how the youth reflected on and responded to the attacks.
Monica’s Take: “The anger and patriotism expressed by some of the children is very raw and jarring. It's interesting to see that some of the children were simply sad, while others were seeking vengeance and redemption for the United States.”
Flight 93: National Memorial Park.
The field where Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania is now a memorial. Its NPS website contains crew and passenger information, details about their last phThe field where Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania is now a memorial. Its NPS website contains crew and passenger information, details about their last phone calls, plane recording transcripts, and a layout of the plane showing where the hijackers were seated.
Monica’s Take: “As I was researching, I learned about Flight 93 and its passengers who took over the plane to prevent it from crashing into the White House or Pentagon – no one is sure where it was intended to hit.”one calls, plane recording transThe field where Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania is now a memorial. Its NPS website contains crew and passenger information, details about their last phone calls, plane recording transcripts, and a layout of the plane showing where the hijackers were seated.
World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program Statistics.
The CDC’s WTC Health Program tracks incidents of illnesses and treatments among more than 125,000 first responders and survivors of the 9/11 attacks.
Monica’s Take: “These statistics were shocking to see since so many first responders and survivors are still suffering from injuries and long-term mental and health conditions.”